Radio remote control device



July 14, 1931. n. A. STEVEN SON RADIO REIOTE CONTROL DEVICE Filed larch23, 1927 Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RADIO REMOTECONTROL DEVICE Application filed larch 23, 1927, Serial No.

This invention relates to wireless callingup apparatus and wirelesscontrol apparatus, and is particularly suitable for use with automaticfog signals and lights, wireless call bells, alarms and similar devices.

Known arrangements of wireless callingup apparatus and control apparatusconsist essentially of a radio receiving device, adapted to perform somedesired function upon receipt of a predetermined signal, and maintainedcontinuously in a condition to receive.

Where the radio receiving device comprises thermionic valves, as inpractice, it nearly always does, the valves are by the knownarrangements energized continuously, an arrangement which clearlymilitates against long life, and certainty of action, and requirescontinuous consumption of electrical energy.

One object of the present invention is to provide a wireless controlapparatus in which the life of the valves is increased.

Another object is to provide a wireless control apparatus in which theconsumption of electrical energy is reduced.

Yet another object is to provide a wireless control apparatus havinggreater certainty of action.

Other objects and advantages shall hereinafter appear.

Wireless control apparatus in accordance with the present inventioncomprise a thermionic valve receiving device, an automatic actuatingdevice controlled thereby, and a time control device adapted to switchon the thermionic valve or .valves at predetermined intervals and/or forpredetermined periods the thermionic receiving device being arranged toprevent operation of the actuating 0 device if a predetermined signal bereceived for predetermined periods and/or at predetermined intervals.

If desired two or more thermionic valve receiving devices may beprovided and the is time control device arranged to switch them on inrotation.

If desired the transmitter from which the controlling signals are sentmay be provided with a transmitter control device, synchronized inmanner known in the art (for ex- 177,749, and in Great Britain April 9,1928.

ample, by wireless) with the time control device at the receivingstation or stations, so that calling-up or other signals are sent onlyat those times when the receiver or receivers is or are in a conditionto receive such signals.

The invention is widely applicable for all purposes of wireless controland though not limited thereto is especially applicable to the controlof an automatic fog gun or other 50 warning device. WVhen so applied thearrangement may be such that the warning device is automatically setinto operation unless the receiving device controlling the warningdevice receive a predetermined signal at pre- .65 determined intervals.For example, the receiving device may be switched in for a quarter of aminute, every ten minutes and be adapted to prevent operation of thewarning device only so long as apredetermined signal be received everysuch quarter of a minute. The said signal may be arranged to betransmitted for or during every such quarter of a minute by means of asynchronized transmitter control device at the transmitter and, 15 inthe event of fog, the said device would be switched out of commission byan attendant or by any known control means.

Preferably the time control device comprises'a clock switch adapted toopen and no I close the filament circuit or circuits of the radioreceiver, either directly or through relays. The transmitter controldevice may similarly comprise a clock switch, and the two clock switchesma be synchronized in known manner preferably by wireless.

The invention may be explained by an example. The clock, at a receivingstation, where there is wireless apparatus arranged for calling up orringing up, is adapted to switch off the current to the valves thereoffor say, 9% minutes, during which time the station in consequence cannotbe called up or rung up. The clock then switches on the valves for, say,a quarter of a minute, during which time the transmitting station cancall up or ring up the receiving station, as the valves have now beenput in circuit by the clock. At the end of the quarter of a minute, theclock switches off the valves for 9 1100 other application of the clockgiving greater certainty of action isobtained, in the case especially ofwireless control to places includ ing situations where there is noattendant at the receiving or controlled station, by utilizing a clockin the manner already explained, but instead of-sw-itching the samevalve or'set of valves into circuit at every, say 10 minutes interval,the clock is arranged to switch on a duplicate valve or duplicate set ofvalves alternately, so that the station may have two strings to its how,so that if one set of valves becomes burnt out, or ineffective for anyother reason, the other set of valves will, if they be in good order, beready to operate the next time that the clock switches on. Several setsof valves can be similarly arranged in the wireless system to give evengreater certainty of control.

The clock can, if required, switch off and on not merely the valves andbatteries, but the whole or part of the wireless set or atel iplhone ortelegraph wireless set.

e invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which shows indiagrammatic form a receiver circuit of known general type,- adapted inaccordance with this invention. I

- Referring to the figure, A is an aerial, V1 a rectifying thermionicvalve and V2 and V3 are low frequency amplifying valves.Signals'rece'ived upon the aerial A and rectified and amplified byvalves V1, V2 and V3 are applied across the grid circuit of the valve V4in whose anode circuit is connected a sensitive moving coil relayW V.Contacts Cit C4 of the relay W are. "connected asshown to a battery B6and to the windings of two'tunedbalance wheels B1, B2, which may be, forexample, of the type described in the specification otBritis'h PatentNo. 11,106 of 1913. "Contacts 01, C2

of the Wheels B1, B2 are connected in circuit with the operating orcontrolling windings G1, G2 of an actuating device or devices, which maybe, forexample, electromagnetic valves controlling the admission and'cutoff of acet lene gasto a. fog signalgun.

The laments of the valves are heated from batteries B3 and B4, throughthe switches S1 and S2. These switchesare under the control of a clockor other time device, and

may be closed, for example, for a-quarter of a minute every 10 minutes.The arrangement is such thatwhen the switches S1, S2

are closed, the receiver circuitis in 'a condition to receive signals.

In operation the transmitting station sends a series of timed signals,adapted to influence the correspondingly tuned balance wheel, andthereby to set in operation or shut down the warning device accordingtowhich balance wheel is influenced Inasmuch as the switches S1 and S2close is not emitting .a controlsignalduring the ail timeintervals thatthe receiving apparatus is activated, the balance wheelsare actuated toclose the control circuits for performing the desired functionsorgivinga warning of the failure of the transmitter operation.

It will be understood that the invention is notlimited to :fog warningdevices, but is generally applicable to radio Control devices.

While I have described a preferred embodiment'of my invention it will beunderstood that modifications may be readily made and that theprinciplesof my invention may be applied in numerous ways. Theapplication of my invention as describedherein is to be considered in anillustrative sense,

and as not limiting my invention, and it will be understood thatmodifications may be made within the scope :of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

- Whatlclaimisi I 1 In radio control means, thermionic radio receivingmeans, automatic actuating means, means for restraining said automaticactuating means from operating,-a-utomatic time controlled switchingmeans connected with saidthermionic, reoelvrng means, to render saidmeans operative at predetermined times, said thermionicreceiving meansbeing connected to operate said restraining means wherebytheactuatingmeans are prevented from operating so long as a signalsynchronouslytransmitted at predetermined time intervals isin'cidentupon said receiving means nously transmitted at predetermined; timeintervals is incident upon said receiving means during the timeintervals that said receiving means are rendered operative.

In radio control means, a plurality of thermionic radio receiving means,automatic actuating means, time controlled switching means connectedwith said thermionic receiving means for rendering said receiving meansoperative over predetermined time intervals, and means connecting saidreceiving means with said actuating means and mechanically tuned meansfor restraining the operation of said actuating means to preventoperation thereof so long as a signal synchronously transmitted atpredetermined time intervals is incident upon said receiving meansduring the time intervals that said receiving means are renderedoperative.

4. In radio control means, a plurality of thermionic radio receivingmeans, automatic actuating means, time controlled switching meansconnected with said thermionic receiving means for rendering saidreceiving means operative over predetermined time intervals, andmechanically balanced means responsive to a predetermined signal forinterconnecting said receiving means with said actuating means toprevent operation thereof so long as a signal synchronously transmittedat predetermined time intervals is incident upon said receiving meansduring the time intervals that said receiving means are renderedoperative.

5. In radio control means, thermionic radio receiving means, automaticactuating means, time controlled switching means connected with saidthermionic receiving means, means for interconnecting said lastmentioned means with said actuating means and mechanically balanced andtuned means for restraining the operation of said actuating means toprevent operation thereof so long as a signal synchronously transmittedat predetermined time intervals is incident' upon said receiving meansduring the time intervals that said receiving means are renderedoperative.

6. In radio control means arranged to be actuated by signals transmittedautomatically over predetermined time periods, thermionic radioreceiving means, automatic actuating means, time controlled switchingmeans connected with said thermionic receiving means, means forinterconnecting said last mentioned means with said actuating means anda mechanically balanced circuit closer for controlling the connectionbetween said receiving and actuating means and restraining the operationof said actuating means to prevent operation thereof for the timeintervals determined by the time controlled switching means and thesynchronized transmission of said signals to which said receiving meansisresponsive.

7. In radio control means arranged to be actuated by signals transmittedautomatically over predetermined time periods, a plurality of thermionicradio receiving means, automatic actuating means, time controlledswitching means connected with said thermionic receiving means forrendering said receiving means operative over predetermined timeintervals, means interconnecting said last mentioned means with saidactuating means, a mechanically tuned circuit closer for controlling theconnection between said receiving and actuating means and restrainingthe operation of said actuating means to prevent operation thereof forthe time intervals determined by the time controlled switching means andthe synchronized transmission of the signals to which said receivingmeans is responsive.

8. In radio control means, arranged to be actuated by signalstransmitted automatically over predetermined time periods, a pluralityof thermionic radio receiving means, automatic actuating means, timecontrolled switching means connected with said thermionic receivingmeans for rendering said receiving means operative over predeterminedtime intervals, means electrically connecting said last mentioned meanswith said actuating means, a mechanically tuned and balanced circuitcloser for controlling the con nection between said receiving andactuating means and restraining the operation of said actuating means toprevent operation thereof for the time intervals determined by the timecontrolled switching means and the synchronized transmission of thesignals to which said receiving means is responsive.

9. In radio control means, arranged to be actuated by signalsautomatically and synchronously transmitted to a receiver overpredetermined time intervals, thermionic radio receiving means,automatic actuating means, time controlled switching means connectedwith said thermionic receiving means, means electrically connecting saidlast mentioned means with said actuating means and a multiplicity ofmechanical means for restraining the operation of said actuating meansto prevent operation thereof for the time intervals determined by thetime controlled switching means and the synchronized transmission of thesignals to which said receiving means is responsive.

10. In radio control means arranged to be actuated by signalsautomatically and synchronously transmitted to a receiver overpredetermined time intervals, thermionic radio receiving means,automatic actuating means, time controlled switching means connectedwith said thermionic receiving means, means electrically connecting saidlast mentioned means with said actuating means and a movable membermechanically balanced to restrain the operation of said actuating meansto prevent operation thereof for the time intervals determined by thetime controlled swit'ching means and the synchronized transmission ofthe signals to which said receivingmeans is responsive.

5 11. In radio controlmeans arranged to be actuated-byv signalsautomatically and syni chronously transmitted to a receiver, overpredetermined time intervals, a plurality of thermionic radio receivingmeans, automatic 10 actuating means, time controlled switching meansconnected with said thermionic receiving means for rendering saidreceiving means operative over predetermined time intervals, meanselectrically connecting said last mentioned means with said actuatingmeans and a mechanical movement restrained in operation to preventoperation thereof for the time intervals determined by the timecontrolled switching means and the 20 synchronized transmission of thesignals to which said receiving means is responsive; I

12. In radio control means arranged to be actuated by signalsautomatically and synchronously transmitted to a receiver overpredetermined time intervals, a plurality of thermionic radio receivingmeans, automatic actuating means, time controlled switching meansconnected with said thermionic receiving means for rendering saidreceiving means operative over predetermined time intervals, meanselectrically connecting said last mentioned means with said actuatingmeans and a pair of mechanically tuned circuit closers each restrainedin movement to prevent operation thereof for the time inter- I valsdetermined by the time controlled switching means and the synchronizedtransmission of signals to which said receiving means 1s responsive. v

" 13. An automatic signal system 'for the synchronous transmission andreception of signals over predetermined time intervals, a receivingcircuit, electromagnetic control means connected thereto, a responsivemeans,

' time controlled means controlling said receiving circuit for renderingsaid receiving circuit effective or ineffective at time intervalscorresponding to the synchronized transmission of signals and means forrestraining the operation of said electromagnctic control meansdepending upon the transmission intervals whereby said responsive meansare prevented from operating for I the time intervals determined by thetime controlledswitching means and the synchronized transmission ofsignals to which said receiving means is responsive.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname this 11 all day of February, 1927.

, D. ALAN STEVEN-SON.

